15 Things Teenagers Did When Their Parents Left the House in the ’70s

As the parents left home in the 1970s, teenagers had an opportunity for a brief moment to enjoy something that they never had full control of: the family home. Some put out the records, invited friends to the home, took over the TV, rummaged through the refrigerator, or talked endlessly on the telephone. Others had their boy/girlfriend over, explored prohibited drawers, learned how to dance the disco way, borrowed the family car, or just did some of the things that they liked. These were typical occurrences from the era when teenagers didn’t have smartphones and streaming entertainment options available all the time. Freedom relied on the records, the home phone line, broadcast TV, neighbors’ friends, and time awareness.

1. Cranked Up the Stereo

The instant the family car went out of sight, some of the teenagers moved directly towards the music player. Music that was deemed too loud by parents came blaring through the living room without any scolding from the hallways. The playing of a Led Zeppelin, Kiss, or Aerosmith record could transform a regular day into a performance. Teenagers piled up music records next to the turntable, turned up the volume, and lay on the floor while the speakers played extra hard. Some even flung their bedroom doors open so that the music spread throughout the whole house. The absence of the family provided a rare opportunity: the right to make noise.

2. Invited a Few Friends Over

An empty house turned into an instant party spot sometimes. Teenagers invited a few friends, spread the news with caution, and wished that there were enough people to make the party fade away before the parents came back. The teenagers arrived on bikes, in old cars, or just walked from their own neighborhood. They lay on sofas, opened the fridge, put on some music, and started talking without adults overhearing their conversations. Sometimes, the party did not turn into a crazy party like it was presented in later movies. However, every noise coming from the driveway made everybody stop in silence because they understood what time it was.

3. Took Control of the Television

Without a parent around who had dominion over the TV, teens were free at last to have exclusive possession of it. They were able to sprawl out on the couch, twirl the knob, and view any programming that came on the local stations. Horror movies on Saturday afternoons, sitcoms, shows featuring music, sports, and replays found no rivalry from their father’s newscast or younger brother’s cartoons. In households where there was but one television, this was a great thing. Cable was not widespread throughout much of the decade, and choice was dictated largely by broadcast time slots. But in itself, having control over the channel knob was quite a privilege.

4. Raided the Kitchen for Snacks

Without the presence of the adults, the kitchen became a place of snacking rather than family dining. The teens raided cupboards and the refrigerator, creating meals from anything that could be put together with minimum effort. Chips, cookies, soda pop, leftover pizza, cereal, and peanut butter sandwiches would do in a pinch. There was also a rise in frozen pizzas over the decade, meaning that if one happened to be on hand, this made it a convenient option. No one had to wait until dinner time or ask for a reason why dessert was eaten first. It was a minor freedom but not to be forgotten. Of course, empty wrappers left their mark. Wise teens cleaned up after themselves.

5. Made Long Calls Without Parents Listening

Teens took advantage of the silence in the home and made lengthy phone calls that would have otherwise raised questions when the parents were around. The household telephone was usually located in the kitchen, hallway, or the living room, where any conversation was hardly private. With the parents out of the house, teens could sit comfortably next to the phone and call their best friends, classmates, or romantic interests. Longer cords even permitted the caller to move into another room for more privacy. Talks drifted from school rumors to plans for the weekend to music and love interests. Time flew by until the person realized that the phone belonged to everyone in the house.

6. Invited a Boyfriend or Girlfriend Over

For teens whose interest lay in dating, a vacant house provided privacy that was hard to come by elsewhere. Either the boyfriend or girlfriend would drop in when parents were out shopping, working, or even out meeting their own friends. The two could spend time together on the couch, listening to music, talking without being supervised, or even exchanging a kiss or two without any parent coming around unexpectedly through the door. There were very different rules for dating among different families, so sometimes even the element of secrecy made the experience more exciting. Nonetheless, there was always an awareness of time during such visits.

7. Searched Through Off-Limits Drawers

For some of the teenagers, an unoccupied house meant that they could explore places that they would not be allowed to explore otherwise. A parent’s bedroom, his/her desk, the drawer, and even the cabinets would be suddenly alluring places for exploration. However, exploring and snooping did not always have malicious intentions behind them. For example, they could simply explore out of sheer curiosity. Teenagers used to explore through photographs, jewelry, hidden birthday presents, and sometimes even secret documents. It had to be ensured that all objects were placed back into their rightful places after the exploration process. Leaving a drawer slightly open would betray everything.

8. Practiced Disco Moves in the Living Room

Teenagers danced in an empty living room by moving the furniture around and putting a favorite record on the turntable. Disco became an important part of the 1970s after such dances as the Hustle became widespread in nightclubs and on television. A teenager could imitate dance movements he saw somewhere else, could perform all kinds of spins, or just dance frantically to a favorite record. Sometimes mirrors or dark windows served as an imaginary audience. In the house, one did not have to worry about people laughing at him since it provided total freedom to look silly. When the record stopped, the furniture was returned to its place as if nothing had happened.

9. Took the Family Car for a Spin

The family car became irresistible at times when parents forgot the keys behind. While those teenagers who had their license would ask for permission to take the car, there were others who pushed the limit by driving the car without permission from time to time. Driving down the street, visiting a friend, or going shopping could turn into something more fun when one had not been allowed to do so. It was easy to find out about the trip, especially if the gas gauge or the odometer did not match what had been expected. Even a scratch on the car or a parking fine could become clear indications of a trip that had been made.

10. Worked on Hobbies Without Interruptions

For some teenagers, an unoccupied house meant that they were finally provided with an opportunity to indulge themselves in hobbies without any interruptions. A novice guitarist would be able to play the same chord without bothering anyone. A hobbyist making a model would place pieces on the dining room table. Some would fix their bikes, paint, draw, make clothes, or even practice musical instruments. There was also a new wave of young hobbyists who were trying citizen band radios and electronics in the 1970s. Without having parents assign you chores and without any interruption from siblings, the whole afternoon could be spent on your own project.

11. Became the Boss of Younger Siblings

For a teenager with the responsibility of babysitting their younger siblings, however, being left alone by their parents did not always translate into complete freedom. In some cases, it meant becoming the boss for a while. Older teenagers would fix meals, arbitrate disputes, answer the phone, and make sure the younger kids were behaving. Babysitting one’s siblings was the norm for many families, well before childcare as we know it today had become so common. It could be fun until someone cried, misbehaved, or refused to go to sleep. Teenagers discovered soon enough that bossing around was not all it was cracked up to be. When the parents finally came back home, all that would have to be said was that everybody was still breathing.

12. Experimented With Clothes and Makeup

There was no better place than a house without parents to conduct innocent tests with one’s looks. Youngsters could make use of a mother’s lipstick, wear a father’s aftershave, put on their siblings’ clothes, or even design new outfits which would be impossible to pass through parents’ scrutiny. The seventies presented enough opportunities for dramatic styling with such things like platform shoes, flares, feathered hair, sparkles, makeup, and a look of a rock star. In a bedroom mirror, one could transform into anything in privacy, since there was nobody to be embarrassed of. Sometimes these were serious efforts to find an individual style; sometimes, it was just fun. Before parents came back, everything borrowed had to be returned.

13. Read Magazines and Comics in Peace

The boredom for some adolescents came in the form of lounging around and doing absolutely nothing. Lying down in bed, flipping through magazines, reading comic books, or looking at record covers were some of the things one could do while the house was uncharacteristically silent. There were many sources of entertainment, including Rolling Stone, Tiger Beat, Sports Illustrated, and comic book titles, depending on what the teenager preferred. With no nagging parents demanding answers about homework or household chores, reading stopped being something boring and started becoming an escape. It could even be possible to read one’s favorite magazine from cover to cover.

14. Put on Imaginary Performances

Teenagers would use an abandoned home for practicing conversations that they would not dare conduct in the open world. They would stand in front of a mirror and practice their jokes, impersonate teachers, impersonate television personalities, or even pretend that they were introducing themselves as if they were radio announcers. For music lovers, they would pick up a hairbrush and give a mock performance in the form of a concert. An aspiring actor could act out his lines with a bunch of furniture as his audience. No equipment was needed, just imagination and seclusion. There were a lot of voices to impersonate in the 1970s.

15. Finished Chores Before Anyone Returned

However, not all teenagers viewed their parents’ absence as an open invitation to misbehave. Some saw the chance for a good lesson on earning one’s trust. They would complete chores, do dishes, throw away the trash, vacuum rooms, and do homework while no one was watching. It was not necessarily out of pure obligation. Being done ahead of schedule meant that there would be more time left for hanging out with friends, watching TV, listening to music, and even going somewhere. A tidy room meant less trouble to argue about. For families where teens wanted some freedom, this was an important demonstration of maturity, and doing everything asked resulted in the best outcome and less nagging the next time parents were gone.